Authors Directory

Genres

Crime authors and series

The best-known crime authors are Arthur Conan Doyle, Gaston Leroux and Lord Dunsany. Below are all 28 crime writers in the directory, their series in reading order, and 68 of their books free to read.

Authors
28
Series
25
Free to read
68

Best-known crime authors

Crime series in reading order

All series

Free crime classics

All free classics

Classic crime authors

All crime authors

Crime FAQ

Who are the best crime authors?
The best-known crime authors here, ranked by how widely they are read and written about, are Arthur Conan Doyle, Gaston Leroux, Lord Dunsany, Margery Allingham and J. Edgar Hoover.
What are the best crime series?
Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, Dexter by Jeff Lindsay, Inspector Rebus by Ian Rankin and Commissario Brunetti by Donna Leon — each listed in reading order.
Can I read crime books for free?
Yes. 68 crime books by these authors are in the public domain in the US and free to read here.